My plan is to not make a decision until the last minute. Still planning to go. Interested to read your thoughts.

Thanks,
Ski+3
Whitefish, MT

quote:

Originally posted by SkiBumplus3:
My plan is to not make a decision until the last minute. Still planning to go. Interested to read your thoughts.

Thanks,
Ski+3
Whitefish, MT

You shouldn't go. You should send me the tickets instead and I will go and assume all the risk of getting ill. When I return, I'll tell you what a horrible time I had, so you don't feel like you missed out on anything.

dont worry about the virus, worry about the weather. South island has got pummelled this summer and if it dosen't slow down I would not be recommending a long flight booked in advance on the hope of a break in the rain.

Thanks guys. Maybe I could "auction" the hunt and stay in Montana golfing.
NOT.


Ski+3
Whitefish, MT

there is more chance of you dying from a lightening strike than hunting in NZ.

if you are fit and healthy just do it - the virus thing is a political scam blown out of all proportion by a moronic media.

Have a hunt planned for South Island June 17-21. Waiting for further update. Long flight from LA. Not concerned about weather in NZ. Not concerned yet about virus. Only concern is LA. Hate Commiefornia. MTG

Would not want to speculate with what will happen with this virus. However, I will be going to New Zealands South Island at the end of March and hunting Stag on the 8th of April .

AR-15 rifles are now illegal so New Zealand is now safe to visit

How can that be - yesterdays newspaper poll asking "is NZ safer after March 15th 2019" with a clear 89% saying NO

quote:

Originally posted by TOP_PREDATOR:
AR-15 rifles are now illegal so New Zealand is now safe to visit

As long as you're there, New Zealand is not safe. Wanker!

After tomorrow night if you arrive from overseas , you must go into a compulsory 16 day isolation period , says the prime minister.

Just how they propose to police that will be worth watching.Anyone coming here needs to contact their travel agent asap

Thanks. Just read the same. My NZ hunt plan is over. Will wait to cancel flights. Hoping the airline cancels for me and offers a refund.

Maybe next year.


Ski+3
Whitefish, MT

quote:

posted 15 March 2020 05:12
Thanks. Just read the same. My NZ hunt plan is over. Will wait to cancel flights. Hoping the airline cancels for me and offers a refund.

Maybe next year.

Damn. Not the end of the world I know and out of our control but for you, sorry it's come to this.
Hope all works out for the future.
I'm hoping hard it all blows over in the weeks ahead. Have hunts booked for later this year. Some hunts and all airfares fully paid.

Skibumplus3, have not canceled as yet. Recently found out about arrival quarantine in NZ. Bummer at best. Waiting to talk to travel agent and outfitter about cancellation. May have to wait until next year. Or, perhaps go to Africa to hunt sable and Cape buffalo.
We have trip insurance that is suppose to cover all trip costs. But, we will be dealing with the insurance industry and they are historically cheap. Keep us informed what the airlines do about trip refunds. MTG

MTGunner.
This is a bummer. I feel for the businesses, employees, travelers and investors. Crazy times.

Ski+3
Whitefish, MT

We booked our travel, paid for, through Navigator Travel, Evonne O’Neil, in Polson. She owns the Navigator and is without a doubt the best we have dealt with for years. We will contact her after early April to consider our options. Again, we have travel insurance, but dealing with insurance companies is a crap shoot at best. We will contact Gary Herbert, Gary Herbert NZ Hunting, after we discuss with him what can be arranged. Seems NZ has a 16 day quarantine for people going into their country. This in itself would make us miss our hunt dates. So, at this point it will be research and discuss with travel agent and outfitter for options. It will indeed impact the outfitter business and their employees. Will keep this forum informed. MTG

New Zealand now has a 14 day self isolation policy in place for all travellers arriving in New Zealand including returning Kiwis. The authorities will be undertaking checks to see that travellers are abiding by the self isolation policy and unless traveller's have a viable plan in place for self isolation they will be refused entry. If they are caught ignoring the self isolation requirement the Government is promising they may be compulsory quarantined and/or deported and face severe restrictions on international travel in the future that comes with being deported from most countries.
Australia is following suit it seems or maybe already has.

eagle27, seems there is some erroneous misinformation being put out by the media. Regardless of whether it be 14 or 16 days quarantine must be adhered to protect all. Perhaps I/we can rebook our trip for 2021 or 2022. Hopefully so. We so enjoyed our trip to NZ in 2016 to hunt. This current trip was to be for our grandsons graduation. Does not look probable at this point. Perhaps in the future. Stay safe everyone. MTG

MTGunner have you talked to your Outfitter??

Not so far. Waiting to discuss travel issues with agent and to see what will transpire here in the U.S.
Have looked at outfitters website to glean information regarding options. But, have not discussed options as yet. MTG

I would not get on an airplane for a flight in our current situation, especially if I was more than 60 years old. The common denominator in most of the cases in my state is international airline travel. And this is even coming from countries that don't have a high number of cases.

As at midnight , thursday 19th march the borders to NZ are closed unless you are a NZ citizen or resident . We are in total tourist lock-down , folks.

Even though we have a hunt scheduled for mid June I believe NZ has adopted the correct policy regarding quarantine. With hope this worldwide issue will come to an end soon.
Having said this I pray all will be safe and your families safe. MTG

quote:

MTGunner

posted 21 March 2020 05:57
With hope this worldwide issue will come to an end soon.
Having said this I pray all will be safe and your families safe. MTG

You too. Sorry if this mess derails your hunt. But, more importantly, stay safe and keep family close. We will come through, eventually.

.

I have a trip to the SI booked for May 2021. Sure glad it is not this year. This thing is a disaster and I feel for everyone that is affected. Likely a lot of doomsday preppers out there saying "I told you so!" Not good.


.

Thought I would piggyback on this thread. I have a hunt scheduled in NZ first week of July. I can cancel my flight up until May 31 and get a refund...what do you all think the odds are that foreign tourists will be allowed in NZ by July?

If this is cancelled we’ll drive to the the Flathead valley to visit family, so I don’t mind piling on SkiBums thread

I seriously do not think NZ will be open to american visitors by July. In fact not a hope.
We are in early conversation with Aussie re a transtasman bubble, but no action yet and are only two days without a virus case- aussie has some way to go yet I think. Write this year off completely I would suggest.

I doubt we will be open for business from anywhere except Australia this side of Christmas.

Your outfitter will hold your deposit or refund it , and the airlines will refund your tickets if you get on to it smartly.

I had a trip to Australia paid for , and pulled the pin too.

TT,
I think Shankspony and Muzza have spelled it out pretty truthfully.
I am sorry for all visiting hunters who will have derailed plans.
Even our Prime Minister has said in very recent days that New Zealand's borders will remain closed for quite some time.

Makes me wonder how the deer pen and chopper operators are faring without the usual influx of visiting hunters coming.

quote:

gryphon1
posted 07 May 2020 06:21
Makes me wonder how the deer pen and chopper operators are faring without the usual influx of visiting hunters coming.

Most of them will have their business model severely tested this year. If there is nothing secondary to fall back on some may ever suffer extinction. Even a secondary fallback option could be shaky as our economy will be burdened while hopefully recovering.
I know of one small outfitter here who had all 2020 overseas clients cancel this years' hunts. Lucky for him none wanted their deposits returned. Another small operator actually cancelled his clients bookings due to cancelled airline routes and the current compulsory quarantine on arrival in NZ. But at least he still has the farm providing an income.

Can you honestly see Jacinda letting anyone in (apart from Australians) until their is a vaccine which is widely used and has been for some period of time.
I'm thinking that those here who rely on overseas clients and have no other form of income are in serious trouble...
Personally I have a Northern Territory hunt pencilled in for September and I'd be amazed if that happens. I've got hog deer and rusa booked for next March and May and I'd expect to see Australia open by then to NZ. I've been looking at Zim and Zambia for buff for next year too and I'm not booking that yet as Im not convinced we will be allowed to travel.

Can I ask whom you have booked the Hog Deer with?

Sure - http://www.hogdeer.com.au/
Booked it last year and this year was luckily full so opted for 2021. I was only interested in hunting one free range.
Friends had been with them and said it was good with a lot of deer to look over.

Have been in touch with our outfitter, GH, to be informed he will be contacting clients late July/early Sept. to rebook for 2021. Our travel tickets have been put on hold until last date in 2021. No refund on travel tickets unless flights are cancelled. It is my thought that all will come to fruition. Always been an optimist. MTG

quote:

Originally posted by sws:
Sure - http://www.hogdeer.com.au/
Booked it last year and this year was luckily full so opted for 2021. I was only interested in hunting one free range.
Friends had been with them and said it was good with a lot of deer to look over.

There seems to be an over abundance of big Hog Deer Stags on that one place. Very very unusual for what they say they are running.

Thanks all. My sincere thoughts for all those hunting and tourist operators who will lose an entire year of business. I’m not sure I’ll see my deposit back and can only hope the operators survive for a future booking.